Unwavering Eyes
by Mac-alicious
Summary: He stares. And it completely unnerves her. When she catches him red-handed, her gaze coming up to meet his, he doesn't even have the decency to turn away pretend he hadn't been watching. AU. Mature.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **This is my new multi-chaptered story. It's my attempt to give a more mature twist to the characters and situations of High School Musical. Naturally, it's AU. Starts from with Gabriella arriving at East High, there's no New Year's Eve meeting at the ski lodge, and the East High students are warped, distorted versions of themselves. Anyway, enjoy the first chapter. There are about five more chapters already written and about to be typed up. Enjoy. R&R! Thanks! –Mac

**Disclaimer: **I don't own High School Musical.

**Chapter One**

_He stares. And it completely unnerves her. When she catches him red-handed, her gaze coming up to meet his, he doesn't even have the decency to turn away pretend he hadn't been watching. He just continues to stare right at her, his eyes boring into hers. It takes her a long time to break the eye contact, but she finally wills herself to look away and she turns to focus her attention to the lunch in front of her. She can tell he's still staring because she can practically feel his eyes sliding over her form. The little hairs at the base of her neck begin to stand on end. She glanced upward, her eyes shielded by her thick curtain of bangs. Still he is staring, his gaze never wavering. Her stomach drops to her feet. She is suddenly both scared and excited._

Gabriella had been at East High for a week when she began to notice that she had attracted the intense attention of East High's most depraved of souls, Troy Bolton. It had taken her exactly six seconds, upon entering the school, to find out who he was. As she had passed through the halls on her way to the main office, she had come across the threads of at least ten different conversations all about this Troy Bolton. She wasn't one to eavesdrop—but when one is assaulted on all sides by girls squealing the same name before heaving dramatic sighs and guys grunting about his scoring record (both on the court and behind closed doors) before high fiving one another, how was one supposed to ignore it? Gabriella was able to deduce that Troy was the captain of the basketball team as well as the star of the team, he was the most popular guy at East High (obviously, as how could one dominate the hallway conversation otherwise?), and he was relentless when it came to getting something he wanted (namely_ girls_ that he wanted). She was curious enough to want to get a look at this Troy Bolton—just to see what the big deal was, of course. And then she was suddenly opposite a large banner, spanning a whole wall, promoting the basketball team. Dead center, the crystal-blue eyes and serious face of Troy Bolton stared down at her. Yes, she understood now.

She was still studying the banner closely when she felt someone walk up beside her. His voice filled her ears, "Troy Bolton, why am I not surprised?"

Gabriella turned to the boy, with very large hair, standing next to her. "Well, the banner takes up a whole wall it's hard _not _to notice."

"It's Troy Bolton, you don't have to make excuses," the boy chuckled. "He's even got the male population of the school enamored by him."

Gabriella raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, no! Not _me_," the boy shook his head vigorously, waving his hands wildly. Gabriella giggled softly at his antics. "But I could introduce you to him. I'm his best friend. See, that's me right there."

The boy pointed at the banner. Gabriella glanced back and forth between the banner and the boy, and sure enough, there he was standing just beside Troy. She was about to open her mouth to respond when another person suddenly joined them. This one was a girl with her curled blonde hair falling perfectly over her shoulders and her outfit entirely in shades of pink.

"Chad Danforth, the girl is new, not stupid," the blonde replied and Chad sent her a sneering smile. "She's not going to let you in her pants because you know Troy."

"Sharpay, I wasn't—" Chad started.

"Mmhmm," Sharpay rolled her eyes. "Shoo Danforth. She's not interested." Chad stalked away muttering something that sounded very much like '_bitch_.' Sharpay waved shortly at his retreating back. Then she turned back to Gabriella, "Don't worry about him. You'll thank me later."

"He wasn't really bothering me. He just caught me looking at the banner and—" Gabriella began

"Yes, yes. I saw all that," Sharpay responded, giving a small wave of her hand—then on dismissing Gabriella's explanation. She started to walk down the hall and when Gabriella didn't immediately follow, she turned back, "Come on. You need the main office right? I'll show you. Let's go."

Gabriella took a few quick strides to catch up with Sharpay. Gabriella stammered, "I really don't think he was, you know, trying to…what you said."

"Of course he was," Sharpay corrected. "He tried the same thing on me when I moved here. Except, well, it worked. We had a thing in freshman year. I have a thing for basketball players, it's no big deal. I've had little things with all the guys on the team. Except for Troy, but we're close in other ways."

"What other ways?" Gabriella frowned.

"We're neighbors," Sharpay answered. "His father is the basketball coach here and he's the best substitute teacher ever, but his mother's family is old money. When his grandparents died, they left everything to his mother, including the house he lives in now. Four years ago, when my parents moved me and my twin brother Ryan here to Albuquerque we ended up in the house next door. Man, did I get an eyeful. My bedroom window overlooks his backyard, well the part of his backyard that has the basketball court. And he likes to practice shirtless, _for hours._ But I'm not his type. See, we're both Alpha personalities. Put us together and we would butt heads at every turn. On another note, he does have my brother all hot and bothered and their personalities are better suited for each other. Not as if _that_ would _ever_ happen. Troy Bolton is straight as a razor blade, much to Ryan's dismay. The boy can have any girl he wants and he chooses the only _boy_ he can't have. Typical."

Gabriella nodded although she wasn't sure she had been able to retain everything the rambling blond had just spouted off.

"So, Troy Bolton, what's the interest?" Sharpay glanced sideways at Gabriella.

"No interest. I was on my way to the office and I saw the banner. I heard people talking about him, so I stopped to look. That's all," Gabriella answered.

"Right," Sharpay replied, sounding unconvinced. She stopped walking as they arrived in front of the main office. Gabriella started to pull open the door but Sharpay pushed it back closed. "It might not seem like it from the way you just saw us acting, but Chad and I are friends. And Troy and I are friends…so if you wanted an in with Troy, well, we _can_ give you it."

"I think I'm okay," Gabriella said. "I'm just getting settled in here I don't have the time to…"

"Suit yourself," Sharpay shrugged. "But should you ever develop a serious interest in Troy Bolton, head this bit of advice: if he wants you, he'll have you and when he's done, it's over. You have to understand that. And a girl like you…so naïve…so naïve…He'll eat you alive."

"I think I can handle myself," Gabriella responded.

Sharpay reached over and pulled the door open for Gabriella, "That's what they all say. If you're lucky, you'll stay under his radar. Maybe he won't notice you at all."

With those final words, Sharpay walked off down the hall with her fuchsia high heels clicking loudly on the linoleum floor. Gabriella watched her go for a few moments before shaking her head to rid herself of the implications the girl had made. From what she could tell, Troy Bolton was not the kind of guy she would ever want to get involved with. In fact, he was the kind of person she would probably avoid at all costs, which was exactly what she decided to do as she entered the main office so she could get on with the rest of her first day.

But she couldn't avoid the fact that since she walked into her first homeroom class with a Ms. Darbus nearly a week prior, Troy Bolton had taken a borderline obsessive interest in her. Most people around her couldn't tell—as far as the hallway gossip was concerned, Troy had made no dramatic change in behavior. Yet Gabriella could tell. Every time they were in the same room, she could feel Troy's eyes wandering over her from head to toe, never wavering and barely blinking. The first time she had labeled a fluke. She had walked into Darbus's classroom and _all _eyes had turned to stare at her—it was the classic sizing up of the new girl. Sure, his eyes were the only pair that had remained on her, boring into the back of her head, for the rest of the period, but it was understandable, justifiable, _and explainable. _ She was used to the whole staring act—the number of new schools she had attended had entered double digits years ago.

The second time she caught him staring could be waved off as a coincidence, but the third and forth times could not be ignored, nor could the fifth, sixth or seventh and so on). But for the life of her, Gabriella could not figure out why she had become the subject of Troy Bolton's unwavering eyes. But she was going to find out.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Here's the second chapter of Unwavering Eyes. I have multiple chapters already written and on the way. Enjoy the darker side of the HSM characters. R&R! Thanks! –Mac

**Disclaimer: **I don't own High School Musical.

**Chapter Two**

"You're in trouble," Sharpay replied as she fell into step with Gabriella. They were both on their way toward Darbus's homeroom.

Gabriella spared Sharpay a sidelong glance before responding, "Good morning to you too. How was your weekend? Mine was great by the way, thanks for asking."

"Okay, Gabby, I get that up until now you've lived in this sheltered little world where everyone was polite and everyone held hands and sang songs about how 'we're all in this together,' but you're at East High now. And I am taking it upon myself to give you the reality check you need to survive here," Sharpay explained, "People here are ruthless. Even the brainy people like Taylor McKessie and Martha Cox. You're lucky you've got me looking after you, because I'm the worst of them all. Well, save for Troy, which brings me back to the reason I wanted to talk to you. You're in trouble."

"And how am I in trouble?" Gabriella raised an eyebrow.

"Remember how I said you would be lucky if you stayed under Troy's radar?" Sharpay asked.

"Vaguely," Gabriella answered.

"Well, you weren't so lucky," Sharpay replied. "Troy has taken an avid interest in you. You probably haven't noticed. I mean, why would you have? You probably have no capacity to recognize sexual attraction…"

"Alright, you're beginning to be insulting," Gabriella interrupted.

"Sorry," Sharpay shrugged, "Like I said, I'm terrible. But most of the people here are. You, however, are the epitome of sugar, spice and everything nice. If you don't adapt, you'll be swallowed whole by the endless vortex of dastardly misconduct and sensual transgressions that is East High."

Gabriella frowned and tilted her head to look at Sharpay.

"Fine, I'm exaggerating slightly," Sharpay conceded. "It's what I do. I _am_ President of the Drama Club. But I'm getting off track again. I needed to talk to you about Troy Bolton."

"So Troy's taken a notice in me, what's the big deal?" Gabriella responded. "I had noticed, by the way. He stares and it makes me paranoid."

"It should," Sharpay said. "I told you: Troy gets what he wants and right now he wants _you_. Now in your little world of sunshine and butterflies, this is where he would ride in on his white horse, sweep you off your feet and then ride off into the sunset toward your happily ever after. But it's not like that in real life."

"I assume you're going to tell me what it's like in real life then," Gabriella replied.

"Sarcasm, I like it," Sharpay grinned. "Yes, I'm going to tell you, because I like you Gabriella. I think we could be great friends. But as I am Troy's friend as well, I want to ensure everyone is fully informed before anything happens—and don't say nothing is going to happen because I know Troy and he will make something happen."

"Is there a point anywhere in there?" Gabriella raised an eyebrow.

Sharpay shook her head slightly, "Okay, cool it. I am under no obligation to help you, ya know?"

"Of course," Gabriella nodded. "Just tell me, because we're gonna be late for homeroom if you keep me out in the hallway much longer."

"Right," Sharpay pulled Gabriella a step closer and lowered her voice so the people still in the hall couldn't hear. "Troy wants to sleep with you, and eventually he will, because he is capable of seducing the most un-seducible, aka you. After he sleeps with you, if the intrigue hasn't worn off, he may just want to sleep with you again. Now this is where most girls get in over their heads, you won't because you'll be prepared. You've got me in your corner. Most girls foolishly believe that this second time is some kind of declaration of love on his part—they think a second night with the king of one night stands is an accomplishment, that it makes them _special_. But however rare it is, it means nothing. I have never heard of Troy sleeping with a girl more than twice. Well, at least on separate occasions."

"How is that going to help me?" Gabriella questioned.

"You'll be ready when he inevitably grows disinterested. Most girls ends up heartbroken, I don't want you to suffer the same fate. So I'm telling you this now so that you can keep yourself from getting attached," Sharpay answered.

"If you're so concerned about me, why don't you just tell him I'm not interested and to back off?" Gabriella replied.

"There is no _telling_ Troy anything. He does what he pleases, when he pleases…or rather he does _who_ he pleases, when he pleases," Sharpay smirked at her small joke, "Anyway, you've been warned."

"But—" Gabriella was cut off as the bell rang overhead.

"Look Gabriella, you don't have much of a choice," Sharpay responded. "Besides, when Troy makes a move he can be pretty convincing. I've seen him in action—don't ask how. So please just take my advice, enjoy yourself while it lasts and be ready for when it ends."

Gabriella wasn't sure what she could say to Sharpay to change her mind—perhaps there was _nothing_—so she didn't respond at all.

"Come on, sit by me and Ryan today," Sharpay grabbed Gabriella's hand and dragged her into Darbus's classroom. Gabriella ducked her head as Darbus eyed them over her glasses—she had rarely ever walked in late to a class. Sharpay, on the other hand, just smiled as they passed, "Sorry Ms. Darbus. Official drama club business. Gabriella is going to be joining us just in time for our winter musical."

"Excellent. Welcome to the theater, Miss Montez. Take your seats, girls," Darbus replied dramatically.

Sharpay crossed the room with Gabriella right behind her. Sharpay slipped into the seat in front of her brother. She glanced at the person occupying the seat next to her, "You, cheerleader girl, move."

The girl made a small 'humph' noise before gathering her things and vacating the seat. Sharpay gestured Gabriella into the now empty seat. Unable to protest, Gabriella sat down and obediently directed her gaze to Darbus. However, her mind was drifting elsewhere. Despite Sharpay's adamant warning that Troy would get what he wanted, Gabriella was still confident in her strong will. As far as she was concerned, she would not give in to Troy. It didn't matter how seductive he was. His interest in her was not returned—at least that's what she told herself—and he would just have to deal with the disappointment. She wasn't sure what his interest in her was to begin with. Not that it mattered much to her. She wasn't the kind of girl to sleep with a boy just because he was popular, could play a decent game of basketball, and was used to getting his way.

As if he had read her thoughts, it seemed Troy had turned his gaze on her the moment she had thought about him. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and sure enough, when she glanced over her shoulder, Troy was staring at her from his place one row over and three seats back. She let her eyes meet his for a brief moment before she turned back to the front. She hoped that maybe he would see the determination in her eyes. Maybe it would deter him from trying anything with her.

Even as she thought it, she knew it wasn't likely.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **Here's the next chapter. Enjoy! R&R! Thanks! –Mac

**Disclaimer: **I don't own HSM.

**Chapter Three**

Gabriella picked at the substance on her tray as she walked through the cafeteria, trying to determine what exactly it was. She crinkled her nose at it when her fork became stuck in the glob. It appeared to be inedible. She sighed as she put her tray down at an empty table and sat down. She should have gone with Sharpay. The girl had somehow persuaded Darbus to write her a pass off campus for lunch and invited Gabriella to join her and Ryan for a decent meal. She had refused, still reeling from the conversation before homeroom, because she needed some time away from the blonde to think. She grabbed the pudding cup from the corner of the tray and popped it open—at least it was recognizable as a FDA approved food.

Gabriella was halfway through her pudding cup when someone sat down across from her. She looked up to see a girl she had some classes with, Taylor McKessie. Taylor smiled at her as she got her attention and then began to speak.

"Hi Gabriella," Taylor greeted. "Now, my friends wanted me to approach you the day you started here, but I wanted to give you some time to settle into your niche at East High. Since, _clearly_, you can't be trusted to make the right decision; I am forced to step in now to make it for you, before it's too late."

"Excuse me?" Gabriella frowned. Now she knew what Sharpay had meant about everyone at the school being ruthless.

"I know all about you, Gabriella Montez. I did my research. You're a very smart girl. You led your school to the Scholastic Decathlon Championship and didn't even break a sweat. I've been trying to do that since I got to East High and I've failed. But not this year. This year I'm going to win. And you're going to help me," Taylor explained.

"No, no, no," Gabriella shook her head, "I didn't come here to get involved in that competition. I'm trying to have a normal high school experience before I graduate."

"Look Gabriella, I understand your somewhat misguided desire to be normal. But when you test near Genius level on the IQ scale, you give up on the privilege of ever being normal," Taylor responded. "And just so you know, Sharpay Evans, her puppy dog brother, Chad Danforth, and, East High's fearless ruler, Troy Bolton don't fit the definition of _normal _either."

"I don't see how that—" Gabriella began but was cut off.

"This school is cut into two halves. You're either on the side of academia, _my_ side, or you're on the side of extracurriculars, with the drama club freaks and lunkhead basketball men," Taylor snapped. "Tell me you know which the right choice is."

"Why does there have to be a choice? Why can't a person be both?" Gabriella questioned, a scowl settling in on her forehead.

"Because it doesn't work like that here," Taylor answered condescendingly. She stared at Gabriella with on eyebrow raised, "What fairytale are you living in?"

Gabriella was about to respond when she suddenly felt the warm tingling discomfort of having that familiar pair of eyes on her. She spared a glance over Taylor's head and found Troy taking a seat at his usual table. Chad sat next to him, talking animatedly, his hands gesturing wildly in front of him. Despite his friend's obvious excitement, Troy's eyes were locked on Gabriella. She shivered slightly under his intense gaze—then berated herself for letting him affect her. It was all becoming too much—Sharpay's insistence about the inner workings of East High, Troy's unnerving stare, and now this Taylor girl running her mouth about what she would have to do to survive this school. Somehow the way Taylor did it was more annoying than when Sharpay cut into her.

Taylor was still talking, completely oblivious to the fact that Gabriella's attention was occupied elsewhere. Gabriella knew there was no stopping Sharpay, and apparently Taylor as well, but she thought perhaps there was a way to end Troy's interest. So, she made a decision and acted on it before she could talk herself out of it. She stood and began rounding the table.

Gabriella muttered a short, "Excuse me," to Taylor as she departed.

"Hey!" Taylor exclaimed, whipping around to watch Gabriella go. However, Gabriella was focused on her task and paid Taylor's offended yelp no mind.

As she stalked determined, toward Troy's table, a small smirk began to creep slowly across his lips. She could feel every pair of eyes in the cafeteria turn to watch as she approached the unapproachable Troy Bolton. The low hum of whispers spun back and forth between the surprised and curious students filled her ears. She stopped in front of his table, with her hands placed firmly on her hips. He was smirking full on now, his eyes locked on hers with amusement twinkling in them. But he was going to make no joke of Gabriella. She kept her eyes steady on his, never faltering or showing weakness.

"Can I talk to you?" Gabriella asked, quirking an eyebrow as she spoke. She ignored the sharp gasp that went up around the room. She supposed most people were too scared of Troy to speak to him in such a tone.

"Sure," Troy answered simply, nearly chuckling under his breath. He stood and gestured for her to lead the way out of the cafeteria.

Once out in the privacy of the hall, Gabriella rounded on Troy. He was standing with his hands tucked in his pockets. She would probably look like an idiot, if anyone saw them, for nearly yelling at him when he was standing there calmly, so in control, but she didn't care.

"You've been staring at me," Gabriella snapped.

"Not the reaction I was expecting," Troy laughed lightly, "Most girls would be happy to have a guy staring at them. At this school, most girls would be ecstatic to have me staring at them."

"I'm not 'most girls,'" Gabriella responded firmly.

"I've noticed," Troy said simply. She waited for him to continue further, but he didn't go on.

"I want it to stop," Gabriella replied after the silence dwindled on for too long.

Troy smirked, "I don't see that happening anytime soon."

"Look, Troy," Gabriella shook her head. "I don't know you and you don't know me. But I can tell you right now that I'm not interested and it doesn't matter what you do, that'll never change."

"I like your sense of humor," Troy took a step closer to her. He reached out a hand and pushed a few strands of hair, which had fallen in her face, back behind her ear. "But I highly doubt you have absolutely _no_ interest."

Gabriella's face heated up almost instantly—making her embarrassment visible.

"You must be at least a tad curious," Troy continued as he moved even closer to her.

Gabriella stood her ground. She looked him right in the eyes as she responded, "Not at all."

"Why don't I believe you?" Troy quirked a half smile. "Oh, I know." He lowered his voice as he replied, "For you to have caught me staring, it means you were staring back."

Gabriella gulped.

"And I know you're not 'most girls' but I'm pretty sure behavior such as that is universal," Troy said as he stepped away from her, creating an appropriate distance between them. "I'd say you're substantially curious, even if you won't admit it, even to yourself."

Gabriella watched as he backed away. She wanted to respond and tell him he was wrong, wrong about everything, but she couldn't find her tongue. She let out a ragged breath as he reached the door back into the cafeteria. He had one hand posed on the door when he got his last word in.

"I'll make you admit it, just you wait," Troy finished, flashing a wide grin before disappearing back into the cafeteria.

The sound of clapping filled her ears, and Gabriella turned away from the cafeteria door to see Ryan round a corner. He was still lightly clapping as he approached her. She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow at him. He smiled as he stopped in front of her.

"That was a marvelous performance," Ryan commented. "Shar was right. You would fit in quite splendidly with us."

"I just don't get it," Gabriella mumbled.

"Don't get what?" Ryan asked. "Why Troy is the way he is? I can explain it to you right now. Troy is the way he is because he can be. With that hair, those eyes and that body, he basically has a free ticket to behave in whatever way he wants."

Gabriella shook her head, "No, not that…"

"Oh, okay," Ryan breathed a laugh, "Cause Shar said you were super smart and that was so _obvious_. I was gonna say…Enlighten me on what it _really _is that you don't get, maybe I can help."

"I don't get…why he is interested in me," Gabriella replied. It was true—the one thing that gave her pause in the situation was that she couldn't see what about her had caused such an intense reaction in Troy. Most of the guy's at her other schools had never given her a second glance, but Troy hadn't stopped staring since his first.

"Oh hun, you are selling yourself short," Ryan responded. Gabriella just shrugged, so he continued, "I'm gay and even I can see the interest."

"Enlighten me," Gabriella used his words.

"Fine," Ryan waved a finger at her. "First things first, your looks. You're stunning and exactly Troy's type. Nice face, kind of an exotic-looking thing going on, perfect hair—soft, chocolate curls can always get his blood boiling. Troy values diversity, but his brunette-to-blonde ratio is staggering. You've got the body of a goddess, too bad you don't flaunt it—you should bear a little skin sometime, legs and cleavage, it would do you good.

"Then there's the new girl status. You're a mystery. No one knows what you're all about just yet. And Troy loves a good mystery. He likes to be the first to figure people out," Ryan finished, looking her over for a minute.

"And that's all?" Gabriella prompted.

"No, you're a challenge now," Ryan said. "This little scene that I just witnessed—you telling him to back off because it's never gonna happen—sealed your fate. Troy isn't good with taking orders. He likes to blatantly disobey them. You made the chase all the more alluring to him. To him, in this moment, you're the ultimate conquest. He won't give up now."

"How do I get out of it?" Gabriella questioned.

"You don't," Ryan answered simply.

"There you are!" Sharpay's voice echoed down the hall.

The two turned to see her rushing down the hall toward them. The click-clack of her heels resounded off the walls in the silence. Gabriella wasn't sure if she was happy about the distraction from the conversation or not. On one hand, she could now try to ignore what Ryan had said. On the other, she would not be able to squeeze anymore information out of him without Sharpay taking it the wrong way. Gabriella was _not interested_ in Troy Bolton She was just curious. She had no intention of giving into his whims. If Sharpay knew she was pumping Ryan for the inside scoop, she'd blow it out of proportion. And Gabriella couldn't have it getting back to Troy.

"Come on," Sharpay exclaimed as she arrived beside them. "Darbus needs us in the auditorium. Some kind of emergency drama club issues. Let's go."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Here's the fourth chapter. There's a small reference to the first season of 90210 (the new one obviously), if you watch the show, you know the play they did was 'Spring Awakening' and all the goings on that occurred during that part of the season. It doesn't matter much to this story to fit in the timeline that I kind of set up, just bear with me. And, I chose Spring Awakening, because it's one of my favorite shows (and it ties in to the more mature world). And I don't want anyone saying that the show "isn't just about sex," because I know that. I love that show and it has just a grander purpose than a sexual display. Though there is a consistent storyline about the sexual-coming-of-age in a society that keeps its youth in the dark about such matters. I just want to say, I am aware that there is more to the story, and used the general assumption to spark a little humor. Also, do I actually believe a high school would really be able to put on a show with such mature content? No I do not, but again it fits in with my making East High a more mature world. Anyway, enjoy the chapter. R&R! Thanks! –Mac

**Disclaimer: **I don't own HSM, or Spring Awakening, or 90210.

**Chapter Four**

"Sharpay, wait," Gabriella exclaimed as she followed Sharpay through the auditorium. "When you told Darbus I was joining the drama club, I thought that was just to keep her from giving us detention for being late. I didn't think you actually wanted me to join."

"Of course I actually want you to join. We need more people for our next musical," Sharpay rolled her eyes. "Do you sing?"

"Not in front of people," Gabriella responded.

"That's fine. We'll find you something backstage or whatever," Sharpay replied. "We can figure it out later. Right now, we need to go sit down so Darbus can give her announcement."

Sharpay led Gabriella and Ryan down the aisle to a section of empty seats. They sat down as Darbus turned around to address those present. A few students settled into their seats as she began to speak.

"Thank you all for arriving promptly at such short notice," Darbus had just finished her sentence when the sound of the auditorium door opening and slamming closed echoed around them.

Gabriella's head turned with the rest of them. She was surprised to see Troy strolling down the aisle with Chad behind him. A small girl, who Gabriella recognized as Kelsi Nielson from homeroom, timidly followed behind them. She darted down a row, took the first empty seat, and looked as if she wished she could disappear into it. Troy, on the other hand, marched all the way up to the front row and plopped rather unceremoniously into the seat right in front of Darbus. Chad took the one next to him.

"Sorry we're late, Darbus," Troy replied. "I guess we didn't get the memo. Kelsi was kind enough to fill us in."

"Of course Mr. Bolton," Darbus responded, looking down at him over her glasses. "Next time, I would appreciate it if you could refrain from causing a commotion. This _is_ drama, but only the star is allowed to make such an entrance. And at the moment, that is not _you._"

Chad snickered, but a glare from Troy cut off the sound in an instant.

"Now that we're all here, I shall continue," Darbus began.

Gabriella leaned over to whisper to Sharpay, "Troy and Chad are in the drama club too?"

"Troy has many talents," Sharpay answered. "Having an amazing voice is just another check on the long list of things people love about him."

"And Chad?" Gabriella continued, to detract from her inquiry about Troy.

"Chad doesn't dance," Ryan added. "But he goes where Troy goes, so…"

Ryan trailed off as Darbus got to the point of calling the meeting. The three turned their attention back to her. Darbus was saying, "I have chosen a Broadway show to do for our next musicale. 'Spring Awakening' contains many mature themes but it's been cleared with the administration. They believe you are mature enough to handle it, as do I. Let's not prove them wrong."

"Amazing," Sharpay smirked. "I can't believe she got them to let us put on this show. I never thought they would agree to it."

"Why?" Gabriella frowned. "I've never heard about it before."

"The entire show is about sex," Ryan answered.

"Not the _entire_ show," Sharpay corrected. "There are many different themes…"

"All related to sex," Ryan added.

"Not _all,_" Sharpay corrected again. "There's romance and angst and darkness and a wonderful moral to the whole story…Okay, it's entirely about sex."

Ryan chuckled, "To think we saw it for the first time with our parents and _grandparents_."

"Why would a high school put on a play about sex?" Gabriella cut in.

"Because it's an amazing show," Sharpay responded. "And the original show has a complete youth cast. It's perfect. Besides West Beverly High performed it last year and it went over well."

"Yeah, after the girl playing Wendla got kicked off the night of because she was on drugs and high as a kite. Then the principal's daughter went on in her place. Imagine Daddy's surprise when he watched his little angel 'losing it' on stage," Ryan laughed lightly.

Sharpay shrugged, "Beverly Hills kids have way more issues than we do here at East High. I mean were' not a Disney Channel Original Movie or anything. You won't see us giggling over partial nudity."

"Partial nudity?" Gabriella mouthed to herself.

"Alright, now that this has sunken in, I have another announcement," Darbus replied, calling everyone's attention back to the front. "As every role in this show has significant singing parts, there shall be a change in procedure when it comes to auditions. Every member of the Drama Club is required to audition, no exceptions. I must find the right voice for each role, so no hiding behind the 'I'll work backstage' excuse."

There was a chorus of groans from various students around the auditorium. Gabriella turned to scowl at Sharpay, but the blonde just shrugged. Gabriella folded her arms over her chest and sunk further down into her chair. She didn't know what she was getting herself into, but she was pretty sure it wasn't going to be good for her.

"Kelsi has sheet music for you. Pick up the appropriate song for your gender. You have a week to prepare. Now, off with you. You have about ten minutes before the bell," Darbus finished with a dismissive wave.

Gabriella stood and followed Sharpay and Ryan over to Kelsi. The small girl had two stacks of papers and looked terrified as the crowd surged forward. She began passing out the sheets and Gabriella took the one she was given. She was looking it over as she followed Sharpay out of the auditorium.

"Mama who bore me…" Gabriella murmured softly, "Mama who gave me, no way to handle things, who made me so sad…"

"It's the opening number," Sharpay commented. "It's sung by the female lead. Perfect audition song."

"She gave the guys, 'All That's Known,'" Ryan added. He shook his sheet for emphasis.

"Also perfect," Sharpay replied. She turned back to Gabriella, "So I guess you're going to have to sing in front of everyone at least once. Do you have any experience?"

"I sang in my church choir, but I was always in the back and never had a solo. Mostly because I have a terrible case of stage fright," Gabriella answered honestly. "I freeze up."

"Well, you've got a week to get over that," Sharpay responded. "I'll see you after school Gabby. Toodles."

"Bye," Gabriella whispered, still staring down at the sheet music.

Suddenly, a hand trailed down her arm sending chills down her spine. A mouth lowered right next to her ear, said, "I think I could loosen you up."

Gabriella tilted her head enough to see Troy looking down at her. She sighed, "I think I can manage on my own."

Troy chuckled as she slid out of his reach, "Suit yourself."

When he didn't continue, Gabriella started to walk away down the hall. Troy took a couple long strides to catch up with her. She shot him a glare but he was completely unfazed. He fell into step with her as she moved swiftly down the hall. She hoped he would eventually wander away to his next class, but he stayed right at her side. She was aware of his eyes watching her, even as she focused on the hall in front of her.

"Are you going to audition for the show?" Troy suddenly asked.

"Are you trying to make small talk?" Gabriella frowned, sparing a glance at Troy's face to see if he was serious.

"Maybe," Troy shrugged. "So, you are?"

"I have to, apparently. You heard Darbus. _No exceptions_," Gabriella responded, although every fiber of her body was screaming that she not encourage the boy.

"Yeah well, you're under no obligation to actually join the drama club," Troy said. "You can back out and no one would say anything."

"Ha," Gabriella scoffed. "If only it were that simple. But my fate has been chosen by Sharpay. You know Sharpay on a rather intimate level, right? There's no wiggle room with her, you can't deny it."

"Did she tell you that?" Troy looked offended, and it confused Gabriella.

"Tell me…" She trailed off, hoping he would fill in the blank.

"Did she tell you I knew her on an intimate level?" Troy questioned firmly.

"She said you were really good friends, neighbors," Gabriella answered. "What did you think I meant?"

"Nothing," Troy shook his head. "Back to the point. You're going to audition."

"Yes," Gabriella nodded.

"You're going to get Wendla," Troy stated simply. "I can feel it."

"You don't even know if I can sing well," Gabriella laughed him off. "How can you say that?"

"I have a feeling," Troy repeated. "It would be perfect. I'm bound to get Melchior, because Darbus is not likely to give that part to Ryan. He can't pull off _radical_."

"How would that be perfect?" Gabriella asked.

"As the two leads," Troy began, stepping closer to her. "We would be spending _a lot_ of time together, which is just the way I would have it."

Gabriella was kicking herself hard. She had let her guard down. For a moment, she had been so comfortable just having a simple conversation with Troy. Then, like a switch had been hit, the intensity turned back on in an instant. He was too close, his eyes were too penetrating and it was all too much.

So she ran.

Gabriella darted away down the hall just as Troy was about to take another step closer. She didn't slow down or stop until she rounded a corner. The whole time, she didn't have to turn back to know his eyes were winding their way up and down her body. The left a trail of burning fire in their wake which caused Gabriella to tremble. Just before she reached the corner, she heard Troy's voice call after her, a light chuckle on his breath.

"Have a nice rest of the day, Gabriella. And if I don't see you again today, sweet dreams tonight. I can't promise I won't be creeping through them."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Here's chapter five. Enjoy the auditions because that's basically the gist of this chapter. R&R! Thanks! –Mac

**Disclaimer: **I don't own HSM, or the lyrics to the songs "All That's Known" and "Mama Who Bore Me" from Spring Awakening.

**Chapter Five**

Gabriella got basically no sleep that night, or any of the nights that followed leading up to the dreaded audition. The first night she had trouble falling asleep as Troy's words haunted her through the rest of the day. She knew it was stupid of her to worry—he had no control over her dreams. It was her obsession over the matter that inevitably caused her to dream of him when she finally fell into a fitful sleep. It didn't so much bother her that he had invaded her dreams, as the _content_ of the reoccurring dreams that bothered her. So, she not only had to face an audition she was almost completely unprepared for, but she also had to hide the blush that crept up on her cheeks every time Troy was near her because steamy images from her dreams flashed before her eyes. She figured he had to have noticed the strange behavior—he was still watching her so closely, how could he not see? It was so hard for her to tell if he knew. He always had that knowing smirk on his face when he made his witty little remarks that made her stomach flip about. She wasn't sure if it stemmed from the confidence in himself that Sharpay had explained he had when it came to girls, or if it came from having a secret knowledge of the inner workings of her mind.

The day of the audition arrived far too quickly for Gabriella's liking. She was stuck in her seat watching as Sharpay, Ryan and at least thirty other people sing, while the time for her own turn ticked closer and closer and closer. Then Darbus turned to scan the crowd for the next person. Her eyes fell on Troy. Gabriella sat up a little further in her seat as a wide smile grew on Darbus's face.

"Mr. Bolton," Darbus replied. "Why don't you show them how it's done?"

"My pleasure," Troy responded.

He hopped up out of his seat and bounded up the stairs onto the stage. Kelsi handed him a microphone as he headed for the center of the stage. He nodded to her and she sat back down at the piano. Almost immediately she began to play. It was the same music they had heard over and over, but somehow Gabriella knew this time was going to be different. She stayed posed on the edge of her seat as Troy began to sing.

"All that's known, in history, in science, overthrown at school, at home by blind men. You doubt them and soon they bark and hound you. Till everything you say is just another bad about you."

Gabriella was mesmerized. Sharpay had said he had a good voice but she had never imagined he would be _that _good. She leaned forward even further, littering on the edge. Her eyes trailed over Troy as he commanded the stage. She kept a close watch on the emotion flickering through his eyes. When she saw him in the halls and in class, his eyes were blank, emotionless, but here in the auditorium, simply singing for an audition, his eyes were on fire. A small smile flickered across Gabriella's lips. She could tell he loved this. She couldn't look away.

"All they say is trust in what is written. Wars are made and somehow that is wisdom. Thought is suspect, and money is their idol. And nothing is okay, unless it's scripted in their bible," Troy continued to sing. He closed his eyes, "But I know there's so much more to find, just in looking through myself and not at them. Still I know to trust in my own true mind, and to say there's a way through this. On I go, to wonder and to learning. Name the stars and know their dark returning. I'm calling to know the world's true yearning. The hunger that a child feels for everything they're shown."

The music shifted and Troy's eyes shot open, "You watch me, just watch me, I'm calling, and one day all with know. You watch me, just watch me. I'm calling…I'm calling, and one day all will know."

Troy held the last note until the music faded out. The auditorium broke out into applause; Darbus's clapping the loudest of them all. Gabriella was too stunned to even attempt clapping for him.

"Well, I wonder who's going to be playing Melchior," Ryan hissed to Sharpay. "Do you think Darbus even tries to hide the fact that he's her favorite?"

"Should she?" Sharpay raised an eyebrow. "We already knew he would get Melchior. The question is who will get Wendla."

"You of course," Ryan shrugged, pouting slightly.

"Oh you're just put off because you wish Troy and you could be cast as Hanschen and Ernst. Which, for many reasons, would _never _happen," Sharpay replied.

"A boy can dream," Ryan grinned.

"Alright, thank you Mr. Bolton," Darbus finally said as the applause died down. Troy hopped off the stage and returned to his seat. Darbus scanned the auditorium for who was left to go. "Who's left then? Ah, Miss Montez. Why don't you take the stage?"

Gabriella was shook from her thoughts by the sound of her name, "Huh?"

Light laughter filtered through the auditorium as Darbus repeated, "Your turn, Miss Montez."

Gabriella swallowed hard, "Alright."

Gabriella slowly slipped out of her seat and made her way to the stage. As she passed, she took the microphone Kelsi handed her. She had to fight down a wave of nausea as she reached the center of the stage. She took a deep breath and looked out at the people watching her. Her eyes met Troy's as the music began to play. He winked at her with a small smirk, and it made her stomach flip.

"Mama who bore me, mama who gave me no way to handle things, who made me so sad," Gabriella sang tentatively, with her eyes clenched shut tight. "Mama, the weeping. Mama, the angels. No sleep in heaven, or Bethlehem."

"Man, she is good Shar," Ryan whispered. "I thought she couldn't sing."

"Me too," Sharpay hissed through clenched teeth.

"Some pray that one day, Christ will come a'-callin'. They light a candle and hope that it glows." As she got further into the song without making a mistake, Gabriella's confidence grew. She opened her eyes and braved a quick sweep of her eyes over the auditorium. "And some just lie there, lying for him to come and find them, but when he comes they don't know how to go."

Gabriella's eyes fell on Troy's, their gazes locking together. He was smiling slightly a sharp contrast from the usual smirk that graced his lips. It made her stomach flip over, so she broke her eyes away.

"Mama, who bore me, Mama who gave me, no way to handle things, who made me so bad." Gabriella closed her eyes as she finished, "Mama, the weeping. Mama, the angels. No sleep in Heaven, or Bethlehem."

Gabriella opened her eyes once again when she was done. She looked out over the auditorium to gauge the reaction. It was eerily silent. Her nerves returned full force, then a slow whistle was issued by Troy and the room burst into applause. Gabriella smiled shyly as she left the stage. She dropped back down into her seat beside Ryan and Sharpay as Darbus turned to address them a final time.

"Wonderful," Darbus replied. "Simply wonderful. A cast list will be posted by the end of the week. Thank you. You're dismissed."

The auditorium broke into chaos as everyone stood, gathered their things and began to flood toward the exit. Gabriella tried to keep her head down and slip out without anyone stopping her, but Sharpay had other plans. She pulled Gabriella back before she could leave their row of seats. Gabriella took a deep breath before turning back to look at Sharpay.

"You were holding out on us," Sharpay commented as she pushed some hair out of her face. She folded her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow.

"All that talk about not being able to sing," Ryan added, leaning around Sharpay. "And then you go and blow everyone out of the water."

"She did not blow _everyone_ out of the water," Sharpay countered, sending Ryan a glare over her shoulder.

"Actually, she totally did," Troy leaned over the back of the seats a row in front of them. "Even you Sharpay."

Sharpay made a small 'Humph' sound in the back of her throat, her lips pursed tightly. Ryan chuckled lightly but quickly snapped his mouth shut when his sister glared at him once again. Gabriella blushed a bright red and ducked her head to examine her shoes. She wasn't a fan of having that much attention on her, especially when she could tell Sharpay was not particularly happy about how her performance was received. Troy glanced left and then right before he pushed himself up and climbed over the seat to land in their row. He tilted his head so he could meet Gabriella's down turned eyes.

"Are you embarrassed, dear Gabriella?" Troy murmured. "You shouldn't be. You were amazing. I told you that you would get Wendla, and now I'm sure of it."

"Excuse me? You told her what?" Sharpay raised an eyebrow.

"That she was going to be playing Wendla, which was a pretty good prediction on my part. Darbus loved her," Troy smirked.

"Darbus loves everyone who isn't completely tone deaf," Sharpay waved it off. Ryan snorted which prompted her to glare at him again.

"Geez, Sis, if looks could kill."

"Don't be jealous, Shar," Troy laughed lightly.

"I'm not jealous," Sharpay snapped. "I'm actually _overjoyed_. Having Gabriella in the musical with us is going to be _fun._"

"I haven't got the part yet," Gabriella piped up. "Troy could be wrong."

Troy shook his head slightly, "I'm not."

"Okay, enough talk of this whole thing," Sharpay interrupted. "Let's get out of here."

With one last flip of her hair, Sharpay turned and head down the aisle toward the exit. Ryan rolled his eyes as he followed. Troy simply titled his head and grinned at Gabriella. Neither of them had made to follow. Gabriella tried to avoid meeting his yes. She could feel the part of her, which insisted that there was nothing attractive about Troy Bolton, shifting its opinion. But she couldn't let him in. She refused to let herself.

"So, Gabriella," Troy began. "How much experience do you have in theater arts?"

Gabriella glanced up at him, "Not much."

"How much is not much?" Troy asked.

"Zero," Gabriella answered, cracking a small smile.

"There's that winning smile," Troy commented. "And you shouldn't pay any mind to Sharpay. She's got the deluded perspective that no one is as talented as she is."

"She's really good," Gabriella defended. "I don't know what you were thinking saying I was better than her."

"I was telling the truth," Troy responded. Then the smirk returned to his lips. "Besides, like I said before, I'm looking forward to working _very closely _with you."

Gabriella swallowed hard.

"Are you still trying to pretend you wouldn't enjoy spending time with me?" Troy replied.

"Not pretending," Gabriella corrected. "Like _I_ said before, I'm not interested."

"I still don't believe you," Troy laughed under his breath. "You could make this so simple if you just admitted to yourself that you want me as much as I want you."

"Look, Troy. This little act might work on other girls, but it's not going to work on me. Why don't you do us all a favor and try to find one of them to torment," Gabriella pursed her lips. She sounded far more confident that she felt.

"I can't do that," Troy shook his head.

"And why not?" Gabriella raised an eyebrow.

"Because I don't want any of them," Troy answered. "I only want you."

Gabriella scoffed, "That should sound romantic, but coming from you it's disturbing."

Gabriella shook her head before gathering up her bag and heading for the exit.

"Keep telling yourself that," Troy called after her.

"I will," Gabriella waved her hands at him.

She was surprised that she had handled herself as well as she did. She supposed Sharpay was beginning to rub off on her. Gabriella was even more surprised to find Sharpay waiting for her when she found her way out of the auditorium. She had been sure Sharpay was angry with her and would be on her way home already.

"So…" Sharpay started as she fell into step beside Gabriella. "How did it go with Troy?"

"Just now?" Gabriella frowned. "Nothing happened."

"Mmhmm," Sharpay replied. "He had that look in his eye. Well, I guess he's going to wait until we start the musical. That way he'll have your mandatory presence."

"What he said about me getting the lead…" Gabriella began.

Sharpay cut her off, "Don't mention it. If you get Wendla, then you deserve the part. We're friends Gabriella. I would be happy for you. And we all know Troy will be happy for you."

Somehow, Gabriella doubted everything would be peachy keen if she scored the lead opposite Troy. In fact, she was almost certain it would open a can of worms she would rather not meddle with.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **Here's chapter six. Enjoy! R&R! Thanks! –Mac

**Disclaimer: **I don't own.

**Chapter Six**

Gabriella had that anxious feeling in the pit of her stomach. Darbus was going to post the cast list after they had completed homeroom. Darbus was going over the basics of classroom etiquette and cell phones _again_. Sharpay looked far too calm as she sat checking her nails. Ryan was fiddling with his pencil as he had his head tilted back to stare at the ceiling. Chad had dozed off with his head resting on his basketball. And Troy was staring a hole into the back of her head. None of them seemed to be worried at all, while Gabriella couldn't get her heart to stop pounding against her ribcage.

"And that, my children, is why the classroom is no place for cellular phones," Darbus finished her lecture. Then the bell sounded over the PA system, and she added, "Well then, I will put up the cast list for our production of _Spring Awakening _as I know those of you in the Drama Club have been ever so patiently waiting for."

While most of the class gathered up their things and made a mad dash for the door, Gabriella went with Sharpay, Ryan and the others to follow Darbus to where she was tacking up the cast list. Darbus pinned it up in a flourish before offering the small group a smile and walking away. Sharpay pushed aside a few of the younger Drama Club members that had wandered over from other classes and moved to the front to read over the list. Ryan followed her up and stood at her side. Gabriella stayed near the back, wringing her hands together. She knew Troy was somewhere around her, but for a moment his eyes weren't on her.

Sharpay made her way back toward Gabriella, with Ryan in tow, and announced, "I got just what I wanted."

Gabriella's stomach sunk momentarily, until Ryan leaned toward her and said, "Congratulations, Gabs. You'll make an amazing Wendla."

Gabriella turned her wide eyes back toward Sharpay, "But I thought you said…"

"Yes well, I've been thinking about it a lot since our auditions, and I came to the conclusion that the role of Wendla would be too easy for me. Portraying the dark emotions of a character like Ilse will be more of a challenge for me," Sharpay explained. "And if I want to make it to Broadway, I will need a larger range of experience."

"You're sure you're not upset with me?" Gabriella questioned.

"Of course I'm not upset with you. Darbus knows what she's doing. Besides Wendla is supposed to be naïve and innocent…and we all know I'm no such thing," Sharpay smirked. "Come along Ryan, let's give Gabriella some time to bask in her glory."

Sharpay and Ryan headed off down the hall as most of the small crowd began to disperse. Gabriella waited until the space in front of the list was empty before she stepped forward herself. Before she could truly believe it, she had to see her name for herself. She brought a finger up to the character name of Wendla and then dragged her finger across the paper to find that, in fact, Gabriella Montez _was _typed there. She couldn't help but smile. It was the first time she had found she was good at anything other than being smart. It was different and thrilling and terrifying at the same time.

"What did I tell you?"

Gabriella turned to find Troy standing right next to her. She had almost forgotten he was there. She responded, "You were right. I wasn't expecting you to be right."

"It might take some time, but you'll get used to it. I'm very seldom wrong about these kinds of things," Troy replied. "I know people. And Darbus might seem crazy, but she knows her stuff. No one will be able to pull off Wendla the way you will—not even Sharpay."

"But I have no experience," Gabriella shook her head.

Troy laughed, "Neither do I. Well, not much anyway. I've only been in two shows and I only started about a year ago. But that doesn't matter because you're like me: a natural."

"Isn't it a bit conceited to call yourself a natural?" Gabriella raised an eyebrow.

"Never said I wasn't conceited, did I?" Troy shot back before he began to back away down the hall.

Gabriella took a moment to shake her head in disbelief. Then she turned on her heel and headed off toward her next class. She went through the next few hours in a giddy haze. She knew there was bound to be fallout eventually, but she was too happy to worry about it. It wasn't until she arrived at lunch that she really considered the fact that Sharpay had looked rather less than pleased, despite what she had said.

When she entered the cafeteria, Ryan was the only one sitting at their usual table. Gabriella sat down her tray and slid into the seat across from him, before she asked, "Where's Sharpay?"

Ryan shrugged, "Contrary to popular belief, I don't follow her everywhere."

Gabriella looked over her shoulder at the table that was generally occupied by basketball players and cheerleaders. She turned back to Ryan to say, "Troy isn't here either."

"Hadn't noticed," Ryan replied.

"Don't lie," Gabriella raised an eyebrow.

"Shar is rubbing off on you," Ryan responded. When she continued to stare at him pointedly, Ryan added, "_Fine_, I knew he wasn't here. It's hard not to stare when he's in the room, so of course it's blatantly obvious when he isn't."

"Where are they?"

"Sharpay pulled him out of here a few minutes before you got here. Your guess is as good as mine," Ryan answered. "Why do you care anyway? Jealous that they might be sneaking into the janitor's closet for some afternoon delight?"

Gabriella wrinkled her nose, "Of course not. She's welcome to him. I don't think I could make it any clearer how disinterested I am in Troy Bolton."

"You're a lousy liar," Ryan said, waving a finger at her. "Do you even believe yourself?"

Gabriella pursed her lips, but didn't answer his question. "I'm going to go look for them. I want to talk to Sharpay before lunch is over."

"Suit yourself. Just be forewarned that you might not like what you find."

"I'll take my chances," Gabriella shot back as she stood and headed for the exit.

In the short time she had been at East High, Gabriella had already deduced that Sharpay was a creature of habit—there were very particular parts of the school that the blonde drama queen felt most comfortable in. If she headed in the direction of the auditorium, she would stumble across quite a few of the places Sharpay could have possibly taken Troy. Ultimately, the best bet would be outside the auditorium itself. As she had assumed, upon rounding the last corner before the auditorium, Gabriella found Sharpay and Troy. She took a moment to make sure they weren't partaking in, as Ryan had described it, "afternoon delight." It appeared they were just talking, so she started to approach them. Then her name reached her ears.

She stopped in her tracks momentarily before taking a few steps back. She pressed herself against the wall, out of their sight but still in earshot. She supposed Sharpay _was_ rubbing off on her. Before East High she would never have considered eavesdropping on the conversation, even if it _was_ about her. Now, she didn't even question the urge to before she gave into it.

"I don't see why we had to come all this way to talk about Gabriella," Troy replied.

"I didn't want there to be a chance she would overhear us. She wouldn't be happy if she knew I was trying to fight her battles for her. Very independent, that one," Sharpay responded.

"I know. She's a lot different than the other girls around here, who insist on traveling in packs. Or you, with your brother attached to your hip. Where is he anyway? The separation anxiety must be killing him right now."

"Don't change the subject," Sharpay snapped. "This is about Gabriella. I want you to cease and desist."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because I honestly think she's not interested. And she's my friend now, and I don't want things to get awkward when you dump her like last season's fashions," Sharpay answered.

Troy chuckled, "I'm impressed. You _almost_ sound sincere."

"I _am_ sincere."

"You're sure you're not just jealous that she got cast as Wendla and you didn't?"

"The girl can sing. I won't deny that. But I just _know_ you had something to do with Darbus casting her in that role. I had it in the bag before you set eyes on her," Sharpay replied. "I don't get jealous Troy. I have no reason to envy Gabriella Montez. There is nothing she has that I don't."

"Actually, she has at least two things that you don't," Troy corrected.

"And what are they?" Sharpay demanded.

"Your part and my attention."

Sharpay huffed and, from the sound of her heels on the floor, headed into the auditorium. The door slammed behind her. Gabriella stayed pressed tightly against the wall. She tried to keep her breathing quiet and strained her ears for the sound of Troy's footsteps. After a long while with the hall silent, she inched forward to peek around to see if he was still standing there. She let out a small squeak as she came face to face with Troy. Somehow, he had found his way over to where she had been hiding without making a sound.

A hand flew to her heart as it began to pound rapidly, "Troy, you scared me."

"So," Troy began, "How much of that did you hear?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Gabriella feigned innocence as she began to walk down the hall in the direction she had come. She was almost surprised when he didn't follow after her immediately.

"Let me guess," Troy called out as he caught up with her a minute later. "You feel guilty for eavesdropping."

"It's not exactly polite behavior," Gabriella responded.

"If you haven't noticed, East High isn't exactly populated by 'polite' people," Troy used his hands to make air quotes as the word polite left his mouth.

Gabriella rolled her eyes, "I've noticed the lack of manners and dignity if that's what you mean."

"Gabriella, just admit to yourself that you're glad that you overheard that conversation."

"Why would I do that?" Gabriella raised an eyebrow.

"Because it proved to you that I have no romantic inclinations toward Sharpay. If you're honest with yourself, you'll realize you were jealous. That's why you came looking for us. You heard that Sharpay had dragged me out of the cafeteria and all kinds of ideas of what we could be doing ran through your head," Troy explained. He tilted his head and lowered his voice, "And images that would bring that beautiful, rosy flush to your cheeks."

"You don't have _romantic_ inclinations toward anyone. That would require you to have a heart," Gabriella replied, surprising herself with the sarcasm that dripped off her tongue, even as she fought not to blush at the images he had conjured in her mind. "And all you have is a di—"

"Ookay, whoa," Troy put a hand up, cutting her off abruptly. "I see where that is going. It's not like that, you know, _with you_."

"Is it now?" Gabriella hoped her expression displayed how unconvinced she was. "Am I _different_? Do you think I'm _the one_? Are there _feelings_ involved this time? I'm smarter than that Troy and as much as you would like me to, I won't fall for it."

"Look, all I meant was, if I thought you weren't interested in the slightest, I would stop. But despite your many convictions, you're intrigued. Just be honest with yourself," Troy responded. "You want to know what it's like. You want to know how it feels. So when it happens between us, which it will, you're going to want it, you're going to like it…in fact, you're going to initiate it."

Gabriella scoffed, "Not likely."

"You're a smart girl, Gabriella. You said yourself that you're smarter than the girls around here. So, you must know that it isn't healthy to repress your emotions, to keep everything bottled up. When you do that, eventually the pressure builds up until everything comes pouring out. Wouldn't it just be easier if you gave in to the temptation now?" Troy raised an eyebrow, the smirk had returned to his lips. "I promise you, I'll make it the most enjoyable experience of your life."

"That's a big promise," Gabriella responded, "One I'm not sure you could live up to. And even if you were right about me wanting you, which you're not, I don't think lust qualifies as an emotion. So, I'm not sure I'll have any problem ignoring your advances."

"You're underestimating me, Gabriella," Troy continued to smirk at her.

"I'll see you in rehearsal, Troy," Gabriella raised a hand to wave at him as she picked up her pace, putting distance between them. Although she could still feel his eyes following her as she continued down the hall, she felt she had gained a bit of an upper hand for the first time since meeting Troy Bolton. Now she had to wait and see just how long it would last.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: **Here's chapter seven. I know these last chapters have come after a huge absence of updates. I've now mapped out the chapters that follow this one, and I shall be back on track with periodic updates around working on my other ongoing stories as well. Enjoy! R&R! Thanks! -Mac

**Disclaimer: **I don't own HSM or Spring Awakening and its related songs and characters.

**Chapter Seven**

"Had a sweetheart on his knees, so faithful and adoring. And he touched me, and I let him love me. So let that be my story..."

"Stop, stop," Darbus called out, waving her hands and stepping across the stage to where Gabriella was singing by the piano.

The drama club had been rehearsing for the last couple days and Gabriella was just getting used to the process. So far, they had mostly been learning the songs and the music cues. That was easy enough, or it would have been, if Darbus wasn't such a perfectionist. While Gabriella was on key and rarely pitchy, this was the third time she had been stopped mid-song that day. She took a deep breath and tried to ignore Troy's eyes on her from where he stood at stage right. Troy was waiting for his turn to work on one of his solos, and Gabriella sent up a silent prayer that she could be done for the day this time so she could move out of Troy's line of sight for a short time. Darbus came to stand directly in front of Gabriella, she had her clipboard and notes held against her chest, and she studied Gabriella closely. Although Gabriella wanted to ask what was wrong, she couldn't get the words out so she waited.

"Miss Montez," Darbus began, "While we are only rehearsing the songs, you must still embody the character through the lyrics. When you sing these songs, you are no longer Gabriella Montez; you are Wendla Bergmann. You need to make me feel what Wendla feels."

Gabriella nodded, "I understand."

"Do you, Miss Montez?" Darbus said. She looked down at Gabriella over her glasses. "This is your first time in a musical, is it not?"

"Yes," Gabriella said.

"You haven't had any experience with acting, correct?"

"Yes, that's correct," Gabriella answered. She tried to focus on the next questions Darbus asked, but her attention kept slipping to the feel of Troy's eyes on her and the quiet reactionary noises of the other gathered student actors.

"You're going to forget all that, Miss Montez. Effectively portraying emotions that are not necessarily your own can be difficult at times for even a well trained or seasoned actor," Darbus started to walk up and down the stage as she spoke. "As actors we must draw from experience; find a moment from our lives that brings tears to our eyes or a smile to our face, so our expressions feel genuine. When have you felt what Wendla feels here?"

"I...I haven't—"

"It doesn't have to be her exact emotion. A close approximation will serve well enough," Darbus said.

"I don't know," Gabriella said honestly after a moment of thought.

"Hmm," Darbus studied her closely again. "Have you ever been in love, Miss Montez?"

"No," Gabriella answered.

Darbus nodded, "Have you ever been in a serious, intimate relationship?"

Gabriella took a deep breath and, losing a battle with a blush, stammered out, "N-No."

There was a series of snickers from various people behind Gabriella and a chuckle she knew belonged to Chad. She fought the urge to turn around to see the reaction to the implications of her answer on the faces of those who had remained silent. She knew the reaction she wanted to see was Troy's and her desire to _not_ give him exactly what he wanted was the only thing that kept her from looking. She was strong—she could resist and she would fight to—or so she kept telling herself. Each day that passed, Gabriella felt a little of her resolve slip away. She blamed his ability to flawlessly step into the introspective, emotive character of Melchior Gabor. It made her think there was a part of him that was like the character, or he wouldn't be able to play it so well, but it wasn't safe for her to think of him as anything other than the narcissistic, selfish player he was off the stage. All other considerations of the boy brought moments like this when she got so caught up in her thoughts everything else tuned out.

"Alright Miss Montez, that's enough for today," Darbus was saying. "Your task is to find something in your life that you can draw on to bring Wendla to life. Perhaps it is something you have yet to experience. Dig deep. Who's next? Yes, Mr. Bolton, come on forward."

Gabriella collected her script and lyric sheets from the top of the piano and turned to walk to the back of the sage. She passed by Troy and he moved to the front. He met her eyes for a moment, with his trademark smirk on his face. He probably expected her to duck her head and hide her face, but she kept her chin up and her gaze on his until he was past her. Gabriella took Troy's place beside Sharpay, Ryan and Chad, while Troy took hers by the piano.

"What are we working on, Mr. Bolton?" Darbus asked. "Shall we try 'Left Behind' today?"

Troy nodded, "But first, may I make a suggestion?"

"Of course, Mr. Bolton," Darbus smiled. "What do you have in mind?"

"I would like to help Gabriella with her problem. The chemistry between Melchior and Wendla is such an important facet of the show that I think it would be a benefit to everyone if she and I were to work together privately, perhaps on our own, separate from regular rehearsals."

"I believe that's a marvelous idea, Mr. Bolton," Darbus said. "That is if Miss Montez agrees."

Gabriella, still stunned by Troy's suggestion, stood silently as all eyes turned toward her. She didn't want to agree, because mandatory alone time with Troy Bolton was not on the top of her list of things that would keep her strong enough to resist him. Yet, she was being put in a corner by Troy's public request, because saying no would not reflect well on her. Her mind went back and forth, conflicted. Then, Sharpay nudged her with her elbow and Gabriella had to answer.

She locked her eyes on Troy's, hoping her directness would show she wasn't going to let him win despite what she said. "Of course. Anything for the show."

A slow smile appeared on Troy's lips, drawing her attention to his mouth. Gabriella's confidence wavered and the worry set in. It made her think that it was only a matter of time before all the walls and safe guards she put up came tumbling down.

OOO

When they were released from rehearsals for the day, Gabriella gathered her things and tried to slip out. She had been taking the bus to and from school, but since working on the musical kept her at school past the last bus, she had been walking home for the last couple days. Luck had been on her side on the previous days, and she had been able to get on her way without anyone stopping her. It was a pattern that wasn't meant to last for long. She made it to the sidewalk outside the building before Sharpay caught up with her—and she only made it that far because Sharpay was wearing heels.

"You're in for it now, " Sharpay said as she came up to Gabriella. "Troy has you right where he wants you. I give him ten minutes into the first private rehearsal before he makes a move."

"He won't make a move at a private rehearsal or anywhere for that matter," Gabriella responded.

"Now, I would commend you for being such an exemplary liar, but we both know you haven't quite shut off your proclivity for honesty," Sharpay said. "That can only mean you actually _believe_ what you just said. I have to say, darling, enough it enough. You can only live in denial for so long, and I can't on good conscience allow you to another minute."

"Really? Because a few days ago it sounded like you were more than happy to help convince Troy that I wasn't interested," Gabriella said.

"You heard that?" Sharpay's smile wavered.

"I heard that," Gabriella nodded.

"Well, I underestimated you, Gabriella," Sharpay said. She put her hands up, "You caught me. Your best interest is not my top priority, but that should have been clear from day one. No one here is looking out for anyone but numero uno. I'm pretty sure I told you that, like, in those exact words; maybe not, but it was implied."

"I get it, Sharpay," Gabriella said. "I understand—"

"No, I don't think you do," Sharpay shook her head, her blonde curls bouncing as she did. "See, if you did, you would be doing what everyone else is. You need to learn how to look out for your own best interest, because, like I said, no one else is going to do that—especially not Troy Bolton."

"I'm trying to—"

"No, you're not," Sharpay cut her off again and Gabriella crossed her arms over her chest to wait and see what Sharpay had to say next. "If you were, you wouldn't be spouting off nonsense about Troy not trying to make a move on you, because that, Dear, is the one certainty you can look forward to during your time at East High."

"It's not nonsense," Gabriella said, and she spoke over Sharpay when the blonde tried to interrupt again. "_It's not_. It's guaranteed, from Troy's own mouth. He maintains that I'm going to initiate whatever happens between us, and I'm sure he has the necessary self control to keep him from proving himself wrong. And since I have no intention of ever initiating anything, I can say for a fact that Troy and I will never happen."

"Oh, Gabby," Sharpay tsked. "No girl ever has any _intention_ to be a Troy Bolton one night stand, but that has never stopped it from happening."

"I'm not just any girl; I wish people would stop lumping me in with generalizations," Gabriella scowled.

"You obviously haven't been listening to a word I've said the entire time we've known each other. The only thing that sets you apart from all the other girls Troy has been with right now, is your refusal to see reason. Your fate has been sealed," Sharpay said. "If Troy says you'll make the first move, you will. I don't know how he'll persuade you to do it, but I'll be damned if he doesn't—not that I would need another reason to be damned, I've got enough notches on my bedpost to reserve myself a cozy little spot with all the other sinners in this place."

"Sharpay—"

"All there is left for you to do is to figure out how you can use this inevitability to your advantage," Sharpay continued. "I dispatched Ryan to stall Troy, but Troy will be out here in, like, five seconds. You have about that long to figure it out. So, I suggest you think real hard about what I've said."

Sharpay turned sharply and headed for the parking lot. Gabriella pressed her lips together as she held back the sound of frustration trying to bubble up. She made an attempt to count to ten, but Sharpay's timing had been on the dot and she only got halfway there before Troy stepped out of the building. He caught sight of Gabriella and sauntered over to her.

"I was hoping I would catch you before you left," Troy said.

"I'm leaving now," Gabriella started to shift her feet in the direction she meant to walk. "I'll see you tomorrow, Troy."

"Wait, wait," Troy reached out and put a halting hand on her arm. "Can I give you a ride?"

"No, thank you," Gabriella slid out of his grip. "I'd rather walk."

"Let me walk you then," Troy offered.

Gabriella sighed, "Can you just say whatever it is you want to say, so I can go home in peace?"

"Here I was, trying to be a gentleman—"

"We both know you're no such thing."

"True, but I'm generally praised for being an excellent actor."

"Well, your usual act isn't working very well on me," Gabriella said. "Cut to the chase."

"I wanted to discuss our private rehearsals," Troy replied. He held out a slip of paper to Gabriella and she took it without looking at it. "I figured we would start tomorrow evening. That's my address. You'll come over for dinner. Afterward, we will have complete privacy to work on the show."

"Tomorrow evening? A Friday? What if I have plans?" Gabriella raised an eyebrow as she put the address in her pocket.

Troy laughed lightly, "You don't have plans, Gabriella."

"How would you know?"

"I would know, believe me."

"Because nothing happens at East High without your explicit permission?" Gabriella mocked.

"Something like that." Troy smirked.

"I could have plans with my family," Gabriella said. "Maybe I'm supposed to have dinner with my mother."

"Are you?" Troy asked.

"Not that I know of," Gabriella answered. "I just don't like that you would assume—"

"So, you'll come?"

"I don't exactly have a choice. Darbus is just thrilled with your suggestion," Gabriella said. "I'll be there, but I want to go on record that I do so with great reluctance."

"I'll take it," Troy said. "I've enjoyed this. Now, I'm going to give you a lift home; I won't take no for an answer."

Troy started walking in the direction of the parking lot without another word. Gabriella considered running in the opposite direction, but that would just make her look foolish. If she couldn't handle a short car ride with Troy, there was no hope of making it through a secluded practice session at his house. Though she was not happy about it, Gabriella took a deep breath and followed Troy to his car.


End file.
